Process for fabrication of a ferroelectric capacitor

ABSTRACT

A process for the fabrication of a ferroelectric capacitor comprising depositing a layer of Ti  5  over an insulating layer  3  of Al 2 O 3 , and oxidising the Ti layer to form a TiO 2  layer  7.  Subsequently, a layer of PZT  9  is formed over the TiO 2  layer  7.  The PZT layer  9  is subjected to an annealing step in which, due to the presence of the TiO 2  layer  7  it crystallises to form a layer  11  with a high degree of (111)-texture.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to fabrication processes for ferroelectric devices which include one or more ferrocapacitors, and to ferroelectric devices produced by the fabrication processes.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

U.S. Pat. No. 6,300,652B, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference, describes a “vertical capacitor” structure. The capacitor includes a layer of dielectric material, typically a ferroelectric material such as PZT (PbZr_(x)Ti_(1-x)O₃), deposited over barrier layer. It Is there disclosed that the barrier layer may be TiO₂, Ta₂O₃, Si₃N₄ or ZrO₂, but in other documents it is known for this layer to be Al₂O₃. The ferroelectric material is then patterned, opening holes which extend all the way through it and also through the barrier layer. Electrode material (such as aluminium, copper or tungsten) is deposited into the holes, so that adjascent ones of the electrodes, and the ferroelectic material between then constitute ferrocapacitors. The lower ends of the electrodes extend through the barrier layer, e.g. to further components in lower levels of the structure.

In such a structure it is of particular importance that the layer of ferroelectric material should crystallise, and furthermore that the orientation of the crystallisation should be appropriate. For example, in the case of perovskites such as PZT, a (111)-texture is preferred, i.e. that the 111-crystal direction of the PZT is perpendicular to the Al₂O₃ layer, so that the growth direction is in the (111)-crystal direction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention aims to provide a new and useful process for fabricating ferrocapactitors, and to provide devices including such ferrocapacitors.

In general terms, the present invention proposes that during a vertical ferroelectric capacitor fabrication process a layer of titanium oxide (TiO₂) is formed between a PZT layer and an insulating layer, so that the PZT layer can be formed with a high degree of crystallisation.

As a result of this process, the PZT layer may be formed with a high degree of crystallisation, particularly with a strong (111)-crystallisation.

Specifically, a first expression of the invention is a method of forming a ferroelectric capacitor in which a PZT layer is formed over an insulating layer of amorphous Al₂O₃ by a process including the steps of:

-   -   forming a layer of titanium oxide (TiO₂) over the insulating         layer;     -   depositing a PZT layer over the TiO₂ layer; and     -   performing an annealing step to crystallise the PZT layer.

The layer of TiO₂ is preferably formed by depositing a layer of Ti over the insulating substrate, and then oxidising the layer, such as by a heat treatment in an atmosphere containing oxygen. However, in other embodiments of the invention the TiO₂ layer may be formed in other ways, such as atomic layer deposition (ALD), chemical vapour deposition (CVD) or sputtering.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

Preferred features of the invention will now be described, for the sake of illustration only, with reference to the following figures in which:

FIG. 1, which is composed of FIGS. 1(a) and 1(e) shows a method according to the invention; and

FIG. 2 is an X-ray diffraction spectrum of a known PZT layer and of a PZT layer formed using the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

The steps of a method according to the invention are shown in FIG. 1. Referring to FIG. 1(a), a layer 3 of amorphous Al₂O is formed over a layer 1 of TEOS which is regarded here as a substrate. Below the substrate 1 may be located further layers of the structure, optionally including other ferroelectric capacitors including PZT layers formed as described here.

As shown in FIG. 1(b), a layer 5 of Ti of a thickness of not more than 5 nm is formed over the Al₂O₃ layer 3. The Ti layer is thinner than the Al₂O₃ layer 3. As shown in FIG. 1(c), the layer 5 is oxidised by exposing it to oxygen gas at a temperature of 650° C. using a rapid thermal annealing (RTA) step to transform it into a TiO₂ layer 7. The transmission of the oxygen atoms to the layer 7 is shown by vertical arrows.

Then, as shown in FIG. 1(d) an amorphous layer 9 of PZT (for example with a ratio of Ti to Zr of by atomic proportions, although other ratios may be used within the scope of the invention) is deposited over the TiO₂ layer 7. The PZT layer 9 is thicker than the TiO₂ layer 7, and may for example be about 130 nm.

Finally, as shown in FIG. 1(e), the structure is subjected to a second RTA step, typically of duration 30 seconds (e.g. in the range of 10 second to 10 minutes) at a temperature of 650° C. (normally any temperature in the range 500 to 700° C. would be suitable). This process causes the PZT layer 9 to crystallize with a strong (111) orientation, to form a crystalline PZT layer 11.

This is illustrated in FIG. 2, which shows experimental results of X-ray diffraction profiles for two PZT layers. Intensity (in arbitrary units) is shown on the vertical axis of the figure for a range of angles illustrated on the vertical axis. Line 13 is the diffraction intensity profile for a PZT layer 9 formed by the method of FIG. 1. By contrast, line 15 is the diffraction intensity profile for a PZT layer formed by a method analogous to that of FIG. 1 but with the steps shown in FIGS. 1(b) and 1(c) omitted, i.e. with no Ti layer between the PZT layer 9 and the Al₂O₃ layer 3. As shown in FIG. 2, the diffraction profile 13 includes a strong peak 17 at an angle indicative of the 111-texture, whereas no corresponding peak is found in the line 15.

The process steps of FIG. 1 are used as part of the fabrication process for an FeRAM memory device. Other steps of this method may be as in conventional methods (e.gg as in U.S. Pat. No. 6,300,652), or in methods which are proposed in the future. For example, holes may be formed in the PZT layer may be patterned

Although only a single embodiment of the invention has been described, many variations are possible within the scope of the invention as will be clear to a skilled reader. 

1. A method of forming a ferroelectric capacitor in which a PZT layer is formed over an insulating layer of amorphous Al₂O₃ by a process including the steps of: forming a layer of titanium oxide TiO₂ over the insulating layer; depositing a PZT layer over the TiO₂ layer, and performing an annealing step to crystallse the PZT layer.
 2. A method according to claim 1 in which the TiO₂ layer is formed by depositing a Ti layer onto the insulaung layer and then oxidising it in an atmosphere containing oxygen.
 3. A method according to claim 1 including additional steps of forming holes in the PZT layer, depositing electrode material into the holes, whereby pairs of electrodes and the PZT material between them constitute ferrocapacitors.
 4. A ferroelectric memory device including a ferrocapacitor produced by a method according to claim
 1. 5. A ferroelectric memory device including a ferrocapacitor having a crystallised layer of PZT over an insulating layer of amorphous Al₂O₃, the insulating layer and PZT layer being spaced by a TiO₂ layer. 